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Lexington planning staff outline Complete Streets action plan, staff hires and pilot projects
Summary
City planning staff presented a Complete Streets action plan that calls for 39 tasks across four categories, two new staff positions and a design manual; staff said the plan will coordinate with KYTC and the regional MPO and pursue federal funding opportunities while emphasizing community engagement and safety.
Brandy Peacher, director of project management for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, told the Planning Commission on March 17 that the Complete Streets program will guide how the city designs and retrofits roadways to serve pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders and drivers of all ages and abilities.
Peacher said the Complete Streets action plan is a work program for LFUCG and partners rather than a final project list. "The action plan is available online. That action plan is a starting point. It's not the end. It is a living, breathing document that will continue to be updated as work progresses," Peacher said.
The plan as described at the meeting contains 39 individual tasks organized into four categories — planning and prioritization, design and construction, operations and maintenance, and safety — and identifies seven lead coordinating entities and about 19 partner agencies or divisions. Peacher said the plan called for two new staff positions: a program manager — the role she said she was placed in in late 2024 — and a Vision Zero coordinator who staff said is expected to start next week. The planning staff also expects to produce a Complete Streets design manual for use by city staff, developers and others.
Peacher and Kenzie Gleason, transportation planning staff, said the effort will be cross‑departmental and coordinate with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Gleason said the MPO and KYTC both have Complete Streets policies and that the MPO reviews projects for compliance: when a project reaches design, the MPO determines whether it complies and can recommend that future phases not be funded or programmed if it does not.
Chris Avilia, director of the MPO, added that projects that combine roadway work with bike and pedestrian components appear more likely to be supported under current federal programs than projects limited to only bike and pedestrian facilities. Peacher said staff will pursue federal discretionary funds where feasible and will continue baseline performance measurement and safety work; she described pilot projects, staff and partner trainings, and public engagement events as next steps.
Peacher framed the program as tied to Vision Zero, the city’s effort to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on roadways. She said the Complete Streets manual will be context sensitive rather than one design for every street and that staff will host trainings and public‑facing demonstrations to explain tradeoffs and design choices.
Staff emphasized the role of the policy in coordinating with state projects, but said the city cannot force state projects to adopt local standards. Peacher said the Complete Streets policy gives the city a documented community preference to use in coordination and negotiations with KYTC.
Peacher: "Complete Streets is that approach. It is a philosophy about making our streets safe and comfortable for everyone." Gleason and Avilia provided additional detail about MPO review and federal funding coordination during the discussion.
City staff said the design manual, performance measures and Vision Zero policy drafts are underway and that initial pilot and outreach actions are scheduled for the coming fiscal year. Staff indicated further zoning and policy amendments will come before the commission as the program advances.
